I own the DVDs so I have no reason to watch syndicated broadcasts, but I have to wonder if WB or The Hub have pulled a Nickelodeon and chopped up the Animaniacs episodes to remove anything subversive or off-color, the way Nick edited the crap out of Ren and Stimpy and Rocko's Modern Life?

HUB hasn't, that I've seen yet. Considering what MLP and Transformers Prime get away with, I'm sure Animaniacs is safe.

I own the DVDs so I have no reason to watch syndicated broadcasts, but I have to wonder if WB or The Hub have pulled a Nickelodeon and chopped up the Animaniacs episodes to remove anything subversive or off-color, the way Nick edited the crap out of Ren and Stimpy and Rocko's Modern Life?

Sim Tree:Additionally, Hub's programming is changing to reflect an older audience, with the addition of Animaniacs into their standard lineup. This isn't the action of someone looking to re-girlify the series; it's the action of someone wanting to take advantage of older fans.

In short, every factual indication is that the show is really going to continue being awesome.

If we end up with a generation of kids brought up to know what a Wilhelm Scream is, and one that recognizes the genius of the Warner Brothers (and the Warner Sister), everything will indeed have turned out better than expected.

Dinobot:Keizer_Ghidorah: /last one is pretty unlikely, seeing as Megaton's favorite song is the FiM theme

That commercial cracked me up big time

All of the commercials during the season finale countdown were hilarious. I loved the one where Soundwave was watching Generation One footage and Megatron asked him why he was watching his home movies, then ribbed Soundwave at how big and boxy his G1 look was.

Sim Tree:I wouldn't worry about massive changes. Megan McCarthy has been tweeting a fair bit about people spreading rumors on the internet who don't know what they're talking about.

Additionally, a recent USA today article quoted the CEO herself of Hasbro Inc. as being thrilled with the wider fanbase the show has achieved, and seems to want to keep it that way; the article additionally stated that said CEO was the executive producer of the 80's version of My Little Pony, which I think would additionally imply that she wouldn't want to ruin it competently.

Additionally, Hub's programming is changing to reflect an older audience, with the addition of Animaniacs into their standard lineup. This isn't the action of someone looking to re-girlify the series; it's the action of someone wanting to take advantage of older fans.

In short, every factual indication is that the show is really going to continue being awesome.

Personally, I'd love to see a crossover between FiM and Transformers Prime. Would the Elements of Harmony work against Megatron? How would Arcee react to all the cute Ponies? Would Discord drive Starscream batshiat insane? Would Megatron's first act be to use the Nemesis' Fortree Maximus-grade Nucleon Shock Cannon to obliterate Ponyville?

/last one is pretty unlikely, seeing as Megaton's favorite song is the FiM theme

I wouldn't worry about massive changes. Megan McCarthy has been tweeting a fair bit about people spreading rumors on the internet who don't know what they're talking about.

Additionally, a recent USA today article quoted the CEO herself of Hasbro Inc. as being thrilled with the wider fanbase the show has achieved, and seems to want to keep it that way; the article additionally stated that said CEO was the executive producer of the 80's version of My Little Pony, which I think would additionally imply that she wouldn't want to ruin it competently.

Additionally, Hub's programming is changing to reflect an older audience, with the addition of Animaniacs into their standard lineup. This isn't the action of someone looking to re-girlify the series; it's the action of someone wanting to take advantage of older fans.

In short, every factual indication is that the show is really going to continue being awesome.

Twilight Farkle:gadian: I'm not sure if I like the "If I love him enough, and are patient enough, I can change him" moral to the story.

I got a bit of that vibe myself, but I think the real lesson was that there are lines one simply doesn't cross. You may like being with your (partner, spouse, employer), you may not want to hurt them, but if they continue to lie to you... there are going to be times in life when you can't save a personal or business relationship, and when that happens, you cut your losses and walk away.

Fluttershy was ostensibly willing to let Discord take over the world, rather than break her word. The other five of the mane 6 were as convinced of it as Discord was. Even if she was just bluffing, I daresay that's rather iron-willed of her.

gadian:I'm not sure if I like the "If I love him enough, and are patient enough, I can change him" moral to the story.

I got a bit of that vibe myself, but I think the real lesson was that there are lines one simply doesn't cross. You may like being with your (partner, spouse, employer), you may not want to hurt them, but if they continue to lie to you... there are going to be times in life when you can't save a personal or business relationship, and when that happens, you cut your losses and walk away.

Fluttershy was ostensibly willing to let Discord take over the world, rather than break her word. The other five of the mane 6 were as convinced of it as Discord was. Even if she was just bluffing, I daresay that's rather iron-willed of her.

WippitGuud:Twilight Farkle: Now the real question is, what's been Celestia's agenda? We have that book from the Season 3 opener, a piece of Sombra floating around out there somewhere, whatever had her galloping off to Saddle Arabia. What could be so important that she actually needs Discord's help to pull it off?

Celestia has an as-yet-unknown daughter named Peaches, who is being held by Donkey King.

ravenlore:Ok, so the DisQord dialogue that was supposed to blow up the internet?

Was it the "well played" or was it the "friendship is magic"?

Because honestly, i lol'ed at the "well played" but neither of them were "blow up the internet" worthy IMHO

/LOVE the snapping

I hadn't seen the episode myself, and Ms. McCarthy may have been a little biased. I'll cut her some slack. Even if it didn't blow up the Internet, the delivery on "Well-played Jean-Luc" was pure Q, as was "most of the time". (Fluttershy coaxing him to admit that friendship was magic was downright adorable.)

"Perhaps there is a reside of humanity in Q after all. / Don't bet on it, Picard""I'm ready to use my magic for good instead of evil... Most of the time."

That few seconds of Discord standing alone on the ice rink, terrified at the sheer boredom of having nobody to play with, and no friends to exploit. Poor fella.

Now the real question is, what's been Celestia's agenda? We have that book from the Season 3 opener, a piece of Sombra floating around out there somewhere, whatever had her galloping off to Saddle Arabia. What could be so important that she actually needs Discord's help to pull it off?

Ms. Faust, such language! (She's been trolling us all week, almost as if she knew about making yummy delicious chocolate milk rain all over the place without a single dollop of whipped cream to go with it anywhere in sight, not a single dollop...)

Dinobot:FirstNationalBastard: Dinobot: FirstNationalBastard: doglover: Counter_Intelligent: doglover: Yes because A it's a kids' show and B "villain" is cheap way to say "someone exactly like me but opposed to my goals at the moment" and win win is better than win lose or lose lose.

I could have phrased it better. I wish they would save some potential future sources of conflict.

I think they're gearing up to end, or drastically change, the show. Hence the shortened season and the reforming of the villains.

Fanboys are going around the bend because of this showing up in official merchandise...

And this is the season where Twilight learns her destiny...

I just hope the wings are temporary

Aw, fark that noise.

It's been pretty much obvious from the beginning Twilight is being groomed to take over for Celestia.

Celestia's getting old... she doesn't have the power to defeat her former enemies anymore. She doesn't even control the elements of Harmony anymore. Bottom line... don't you think Celestia looks tired?

Why else would the ruler of the land take interest in one pony's education? Now, granted, she is the most powerful pony in all the land, which only goes to show she's destined for something major.

Plus, Twilight is sort of Royalty now, her brother being a Prince. And, this is the Destiny year.

And ponyville falls apart if she makes the wrong decision... And some omnipotent being shows her the consequences of that decision... Kinda like how a tapestry falls apart if you pull on a tread or something...

But does she have to be stabbed through the heart by a Parasprite first?

FirstNationalBastard:Dinobot: FirstNationalBastard: doglover: Counter_Intelligent: doglover: Yes because A it's a kids' show and B "villain" is cheap way to say "someone exactly like me but opposed to my goals at the moment" and win win is better than win lose or lose lose.

I could have phrased it better. I wish they would save some potential future sources of conflict.

I think they're gearing up to end, or drastically change, the show. Hence the shortened season and the reforming of the villains.

Fanboys are going around the bend because of this showing up in official merchandise...

And this is the season where Twilight learns her destiny...

I just hope the wings are temporary

Aw, fark that noise.

It's been pretty much obvious from the beginning Twilight is being groomed to take over for Celestia.

Celestia's getting old... she doesn't have the power to defeat her former enemies anymore. She doesn't even control the elements of Harmony anymore. Bottom line... don't you think Celestia looks tired?

Why else would the ruler of the land take interest in one pony's education? Now, granted, she is the most powerful pony in all the land, which only goes to show she's destined for something major.

Plus, Twilight is sort of Royalty now, her brother being a Prince. And, this is the Destiny year.

And ponyville falls apart if she makes the wrong decision... And some omnipotent being shows her the consequences of that decision... Kinda like how a tapestry falls apart if you pull on a tread or something...

Dinobot:FirstNationalBastard: doglover: Counter_Intelligent: doglover: Yes because A it's a kids' show and B "villain" is cheap way to say "someone exactly like me but opposed to my goals at the moment" and win win is better than win lose or lose lose.

I could have phrased it better. I wish they would save some potential future sources of conflict.

I think they're gearing up to end, or drastically change, the show. Hence the shortened season and the reforming of the villains.

Fanboys are going around the bend because of this showing up in official merchandise...

And this is the season where Twilight learns her destiny...

I just hope the wings are temporary

Aw, fark that noise.

It's been pretty much obvious from the beginning Twilight is being groomed to take over for Celestia.

Celestia's getting old... she doesn't have the power to defeat her former enemies anymore. She doesn't even control the elements of Harmony anymore. Bottom line... don't you think Celestia looks tired?

Why else would the ruler of the land take interest in one pony's education? Now, granted, she is the most powerful pony in all the land, which only goes to show she's destined for something major.

Plus, Twilight is sort of Royalty now, her brother being a Prince. And, this is the Destiny year.

doglover:Counter_Intelligent: doglover: Yes because A it's a kids' show and B "villain" is cheap way to say "someone exactly like me but opposed to my goals at the moment" and win win is better than win lose or lose lose.

I could have phrased it better. I wish they would save some potential future sources of conflict.

I think they're gearing up to end, or drastically change, the show. Hence the shortened season and the reforming of the villains.

Fanboys are going around the bend because of this showing up in official merchandise...

Arachnophobe:Vodka Zombie: It's like tripping on acid without all the nasty side-effects.

Someday, I'm going to have to watch this show.

Fair warning, the first two episodes are pretty damn saccharine. You don't start seeing the nods to Looney Tunes until the third or fourth episode, and the really geeky in-jokes until second season. Here's a handy sampler of some of the geekier references.